Marmaduke Semmes

I'm finding all your Semmes info quite fascinating.Those are some great letters.I noticed that you have a couple of the old Semmes History books.I recently found that I have an ancestor who was a contemporary to the early Maryland Semmes.My 5th great grandfather was Thomas Hyde (or "Hide") Kellow who was born about 1694, probably there in Maryland.I have only a few references to him, and the Semmes and Hawkins are the source of two of them.Thomas is listed as a creditor in the 1748 estate settlement of Thomas Hawkins.Marmaduke Semmes is listed as a surety in that settlement.Then, in the will of Marmaduke dated 1772, Thomas Hyde Kellow and his son Thomas Kellow, Jr. (my 4th great) are listed as witnesses.Without the Semmes records, I'd be fairly lost on my Kellow heritage.Based on those two connections to Marmaduke, and the 20+ year difference in the two dates, and the witnessing of the will, I can't help but think that Thomas and Marmaduke were "trusted friends" for many years.I was wondering if you might be so kind to check the Semmes books to see if there are any other references to the Kellows or maybe the Boswells in Charles County.

By the way, the Kellows appear to originally be "Scot Lowlanders" from the Scotland/England border areas of County Durham and County Northumberland.I believe that they fell into religious disagreement with the British rulers during Cromwell times.The Kellows may have been "Covenanters" (a Prebyterian related sect) and may have been banished to Northern Ireland and then America in the late 1600's.I mention that since I noticed you or someone else here described the Semmes as "border Scots" or something to that effect.Maybe the two families go further back?I think Thomas Kellow's parents were John Kellow/Kellough and Mary Hyde, who appear in a 1697 MD Probate Record.Thomas' two sons also served in the MD Line Militia.

Any relationship or reference to the Kellows would be greatly appreciated!Do you know the exact location of the Semmes estates in Charles County.I know that the Kellows were in Port Tobacco East, but nothing more.Any reference to a present day location for the Semmes would be interesting!